New Delhi: Couples who marry against the wishes of their parents cannot claim police protection as a matter of right unless there is a real threat perception to their life and liberty, ruled the Allahabad High Court.
Justice Saurabh Srivastava said the court can provide security to a couple in a deserving case, but in the absence of any threat perception, such a couple must “learn to support each other and face the society,” reported PTI.
The court’s observation came while hearing a writ petition filed by Shreya Kesarwani and her husband, seeking police protection and a direction for the private respondents not to interfere in their peaceful marital life.
After going through the assertions made in the petition, the high court disposed of the couple’s writ petition, noting that there was no serious threat perception to them and that they cannot claim security as a matter of course or right.
“There is no requirement of passing any order for providing police protection to them in the light of judgment rendered by the Supreme Court in the case of Lata Singh Vs State of UP and another, wherein it has been held that the courts are not meant to provide protection to such youths who have simply fled to marry according to their own wishes,” the court said.
“There is not even an iota of evidence to evince that private respondents (relatives of either of the petitioners) are likely to cause physical or mental assault to the petitioners,” the court noted.
However, since the petitioners had submitted a representation to the superintendent of police (SP), Chitrakoot district, the court said, “In case the concerned police find a real threat perception, they will do the needful in accordance with law.”
If any person misbehaves or manhandles them, the courts and the police authorities are there to come to their rescue, Justice Srivastava said.
